Today at F8, we launched Messenger Platform and announced Businesses on Messenger.

Messenger Platform

Messenger Platform enables developers to easily build apps that integrate with Messenger; so that the more than 600 million people who use Messenger can find new, fun ways to express themselves with GIFs, photos, videos, audio clips and more. With Messenger Platform, an app's content can be shared through private and group messages to spark conversations that are creative and expressive, while providing developers with growth and reengagement opportunities.

Messenger Platform apps can display the option for a person to install the app from within Messenger, or to reply using content from the app. If the person receiving the message doesn't already have an app installed, they can tap Install to be taken directly to the app store to get started using the app. This means people can discover apps recommended by their friends, naturally through their conversations.

With Messenger Platform, developers may also see increased app engagement: If the person receiving the message already has the app installed, they'll be able to tap Reply on an image in a message. Then, instead of scrolling through pages of apps on their phone, they'll be taken directly to the app to reengage and respond with relevant content.

Some Messenger integrations will also have the opportunity to be featured directly in Messenger via a new tab in Messenger conversations. The tab provides shortcuts to apps people have already installed, as well as new apps they might be interested in trying.

Starting today, Messenger Platform is open to all developers. We're excited to have worked with more than 40 developers in advance of the launch:

Businesses on Messenger

In addition to Messenger Platform, we've also announced and previewed the first steps we're taking to bring businesses on Messenger with the goal of enhancing how people and businesses communicate. Businesses on Messenger enables things like the following: during the checkout flow on a business's site, a person can choose to start a conversation with a business, receive updates from that business on things like order confirmations and shipping status updates, and ask the business free-form questions about the order, receiving quick responses.

Our initial partners are two businesses in the retail vertical, Everlane and zulily. We're also working with Zendesk to support the live chat experience. These integrations will launch in the coming weeks. To learn more, please visit messenger.com/business.

We're looking forward to continuing to grow what we think will become a robust platform for apps and businesses that tie into Messenger.